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Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168

13th CIRP conference on Computer Aided Tolerancing

Study on Generation of 3D Assembly Dimension Chain

Zhenbo Gao, Zhexing Wang, Zijian Wu, Yanlong Cao*
The State Key Lab of Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

* Corresponding author. Tel.:+86-571-87953198; fax: +86-571-87951145. E-mail address: sdcaoyl@zju.edu.cn.

Abstract

A new method to automatically generate the 3D assembly dimension chain was proposed in this paper. The generative rule to obtain the loop
circuit and the method to generate the VGC (Variational Geometric Constraints) network for dimension chain was provided based on the VGC
theory and a generation strategy of the assembly dimension chain based on 3D CAD drawing was also presented. After the closed-loop was
specified by the user, the system will extract the assembly constrain relations and the dimension information needed according to mating trees
from the assembly drawing to generate the VGC network, then search for the shortest path in the VGC network to prepared for the setup of the
assembly data base for the dimension chain, eventually the assembly dimension chain can be automatically generated from the database
according a certain method.
2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V B.V.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 13th CIRP conference on Computer Aided Tolerancing.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 13th CIRP conference on Computer Aided Tolerancing
Keywords: 3D assembly dimension chain; Variational Geometric Constraints theory; loop circuit; assembly constrain relations; Variational Geometric
Constraints network; assembly database

1. Introduction information, then realize the automatic search and generation

Dimension chain technology plays a very important role in
CAD/CAT technology, which is the basis of tolerance analysis
and synthesis. With the help of dimension chain we can
evaluate and analyze the assembly accuracy; determine the
best way to mark the functional dimensions in product design
stage; obtain the design functions that used for tolerance
allocation and analyze. As the combinations of CAD and
CAM technology becomes more and more closer, the
development of concurrent engineering and the improvement
of design and manufacturing integration, dimension chain
takes an extremely important role in the connection between
CAD, CAPP and NC machining[1].
The automatic generation of tolerance chain is a
painstaking task and efforts has been made. Jiang Simin, Liu
Gaofeng [1] generate the vector matric of the mating relation
between parts based on the mating information of the
assembly parts, then search along the dimension chain vector
direction of the closed-loop to obtain the chain of mating parts
and at last generate the dimension chain. Wang Heng, Ning
Ruxin, Tang Chengtong [2] proposed a method for the
automatic generation of 3D assembly dimension chain based
on CAD model, their method takes a great advantages of the
3D CAD model and models of its parts to obtain the potential
of the 3D assembly chain by using a certain arithmetic. Wang
N. Ozsoy TM [3] put forward an algorithm for automatic
generation of tolerance chains by using mating relations
represented in a feature-based assembly data structure,
tolerance chains are generated by searching through the
mating graphs that are previously derived from mating links.
All the methods presented above are either used for the 2D
dimension chain generation or too complex and required too
much human interferences.
Hu Jie [4,5,6] proposed the concept of VGC network and
their generation method, what`s more puts forwards the
concepts of mating tree and loop circle based on the TTRs
theory [7]. Based on the works of Hu Jie, in this paper a
dimension chain generation method bases on the feature
constrain relations in the assembly drawing was proposed.
VGC network can be build according to the constrain relations
of features, then an assembly database that records all the
dimension and correlation information of the parts that
consists of the assembly can also be setup, in the end the
assembly dimension chain can be obtained from the data base.

2212-8271 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of 13th CIRP conference on Computer Aided Tolerancing
doi:10.1016/j.procir.2015.04.060
164 Zhenbo Gao et al. / Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168
2. Variational Geometric Constrain
2.1. The definition of variation geometric constrains and its
classification
In CAD system that based on feature, the geometric
constraint is constrains between nominal features. However,
from the aspect of manufacture the geometric constrains
between features are changeable and we call it variational
geometric constraintVGC. VGC is consisted of referenced
feature, constrained feature and the VGC that referenced
feature exert on constrained feature, and the relation between
them is illustrated in the following diagram.
referenced constrained
VGC
feature feature
Fig.1.The three elements of the VGC
According to the difference of referenced feature and
constrained feature, VGC can be classified into three types:
Self-referenced VGCSVGC, cross-referenced VGC
CVGC and Mating VGCMVGC.
SVGC is constrains between the associated derived
features and its corresponding actual feature, here the
associated derived features can be regarded as the Minimum
Geometric Datum Element in the Technologically and
Topologically Related Surface Theory.
CVGC represents constrains between the two ADF of the
same one work-piece.
MVGC is constrains between two mating actual features
that belong to two different work-pieces.
(a)
A1_ADF
A2_RF A3_ADF
A3_RF
A2_ADF CVGC
SVGC
MVGC MVGC
B1_RF B2_RF
B1_ADF
B2_ADF
(b)
Fig .2.Example of VGC.aThe assembly drawing; (b) The assembly
drawing
2.2. Example
Fig.2.a shows an assembly, the two cylindrical bosses of
part A are mating with the two holes of the part B, A2 is
mating with B1 and A3 mating with B2. A1 belong to datum
feature while A2 A3 B1 and B2 are mating features.
Fig.2.b is part of the VGC figure of Fig .2.a, in which ADF
represent associated derived feature and RF represent actual
surface feature. Take cylindrical surface A2 for example, the
ADF of it is its central axis, and we name it as A2_ADF.
3. Variational Geometric Constraints Network and its
generation
3.1. The express of VGC Network
For a product, based on its functional requirements the
three kinds of VGCs between features can be linked with each
other to form a VGC NetworkVGCN. According to graph
theory, VGCN can be expressed as:
In which V stand for the set of functional surfaces and
surface boundary while E represent the Variational Geometric
Constraints set.
It is apparent that the many geometric features in the set
can be combined into a variety of forms, however we only
interest in VGCN for dimension chain here. The formation of
every VGC has its own principle which means there are
constrains for the geometric features and those features cannot
be randomly combined to form VGC. In this paper we only
concern about constrains that is related to dimension tolerance.
3.2. Mating tree
There exists two SVGCs and one MVGC in the mating of
a pair of functional surfaces, those three VGCs linked with
each other and formed a Mating TreeMT, which can be
 Zhenbo Gao et al. / Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168
expressed as:
in which the number of translational MT and DMT is
In which V means the set of the two mating actual feature
and their corresponding ADFs, E stands for the set of the
SVGC between the two ADFs and their actual features as well
as MVGC between two mating actual feature. T represent tree
structure and S1 S2 is the two SVGCs of a mating.
The MT has the following properties:
1) MT consists of two Minimum Geometric Datum
ElementsMGDE node that has the same degrees of
freedom.
2) If the MGDE of S1 or S2, which is the functional
surface node of in a sub-assembly, is the 5)
datum of the sub-assembly along (rotate) the x or y or
z axis, then the will be the Datum Mating
TreeDMT of this sub-assembly along (rotate) the x
or y or z axis.
The trait of MT is its uniqueness, and MT is the invariable
basic factor in VGCN. To obtain the VGCN we need to first
get the MT, who contains the basic dimension information of
features, and is the basis for generating the dimension chain.
To take the Fig.2.a for example, the MT between A3 and
B2 is shown in Fig.3.
A3_ADF
A3_RF
MVGC
B2_RF
B2_ADF
Fig. 3.The structure figure of MT
3.3. Generation principle
For a work-piece that has many ADFs, there will be a lots
of CVGCs if all the connections of every two ADFs are
considered to be a CVGC; what`s more, over-constraint
would occur if all the CVGCs are considered. So the
determination of CVGC is no unique and their connection
forms the Loop-CircleLC. LC is the sub-graph of VGCN
and can be obtained by connecting the MTs of a sub-assembly
with CVGC.
MT has translational and rotational degrees of freedom and
the effects of CVGC is to constrain the freedom of MT to
from LC, so LC can be classified into two types: translational
LC and rotational LC. Translational LC is used for linear
dimension chain and rotational LC is used for angular
dimension chain. In this paper we only concern about the
linear dimension chain. Reference to the method for
generating dimension chain we propose the following
decision rules about MT.
1) If a sub-assembly that consist of n parts need to
consider the translational along the x (y or z) direction,
165
then there will be n MTs along the x (y or z) direction,
n-1 and 1 respectively, by the way the DMT is
specified by the user.
2) DMT precedence principle. The search is start from
the DMT and ended when returned to the DMT.
3) LC independence principle. The two translational LC
in the same direction is independent with each other
and rotational LC is out of consideration.
4) LC complete principle. In all the LCs the features of
the sub-assembly part contained in every node should
not less than one.
LC shortest principle. Under the condition of the
principle one to four the LC that contain lest MT is
most desired and the MT in the LC should be different
with each other.
3.4. Generation steps
The VGCN can be obtained by connecting all the LCs of
the sub-assembly together. The generation steps are as follow.
1) Generating the MT
a Extracting the mating information of the assembly
by the CAD system;
b Determine the MT of the whole assembly;
c Determine the MTs of all the sub-assemblies and
the constrains need to be exerted;
2) Generating the LC
a Determine the DTM with the principle one;
b Started from the DTM to search all the transitional
LC according to principle two;
c Obtain the final LC with principle three to five.
Generating the VGCN with MT and LC.
4. Generation strategy of the assembly dimension chain
The assembly dimension chain generating system use the
3D CAD system and its API to obtain the document object of
the assembly, after the closed-loop was specified by the user it
will collect the assembly relations between parts and
dimension information of the assembly parts as well as
dimension information between features from the assembly
drawing along a certain direction, then the VGCN can be
formed with the various information obtained above
according to the principles discussed in chapter 3. Nest to
search for the shortest path between the two features of the
closed-loop in this VGCN and create the linked list as well as
an assembly dimension database, in the very last
automatically generate the dimension chain from the database.
4.1. Specify the closed-loop
The closed-loop is the one that naturally formed after
assembly or manufacture, whose dimension and tolerance are
both influenced by the other composing-loop. In assembly the
closed-loop usually indicate the technical requirements of
product and reflect the indexes of assembly quality. The
closed-loop must be specified before we can obtain the
dimension chain. At present, specify the closed-loop still
166 Zhenbo Gao et al. / Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168

cannot be down by the software system itself and we have to
do this work manually. In this paper we only considered about
the assembly dimension chain, so the two features of the
closed-loop must come from two different work-piece, and
the search direction will be determined meanwhile.
4.2. The express of relations between parts
Start
Import the assembly
document
Obtain the AssemblyDoc
N object
Y consist of. What`s more, some redundant information as
Determine the search
direction and the close
loop
Get the assembly body
Obtian the
Get the dimension
assembly
information of the body
constrain
Get the assembly
information
Generate of the VGC
network
Search for the
shortest path in the
VGC network
Y
Generate the dimension
linked list
and dimension information of the parts. The user of
SolidWorks through sketch drawing and the translation from
2D to 3D to finally assembly the many parts. Using this top-
down method to setup the assembly model makes the system
saves the entity information of each part and the assembly
constraint information between entities. So in order to
generate the assembly dimension chain we need not only to
obtain the whole entity dimension information from assembly
drawing but also exactly obtain the assembly information and
the relations between parts, all this can be down easily with
the help of the many API functions it provided.
In SolidWorks, as to the assembly drawing we need not
only analysis the parts included in the assembly dimension
chain but also the possible parts that may not include in. So
the first problem the system have to solve is to identify
whether the assembly dimension chain exists or not through
the drawing documents, if the answer is yes, when faced with
an assembly the system also need to find out what parts it
mates that has nothing to do with the dimension chain would
also be included in when generating the assembly dimension
chain and exert some influence on it.
In an assembly, the assembly model includes the
information of features and the mating information of all the
parts is included in assembly mating features. Mating parts
and the mating information between them can be obtained by
traverse the assembly model, after that we can use the
adjacency matrix to express the relations between parts,
adjacency matrix is a storage structure of graph and can
factually reflect the mating relations and is helpful to the
generation of VGCN.
Adjacency matrix is a standard symmetric matrix whose
dimension stands for the number of the parts in an assembly.
So we can use a two-dimensional array to express this matric.
The definition of the array is:



N If , it means that there exists a mating relation
between part i and part j and no mating relation is exist
when , what`s more, when i=j.

Generate the data base

of the assembly
dimension chain

Write the data

document

End

Fig. 4. Flowcharts of the generation process

Fig. 5.The assembly model
The generation of assembly dimension chain relays on the
express and storage of the mating information between parts
 Zhenbo Gao et al. / Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168 167

To take Fig.5. for example, this assembly s consist of four 4.4. Generation of the assembly dimension chain and
parts named part 1, 2, 3 and part 4, so the adjacency matrix of dimension linked list
this assembly is a 4-dimension array. The formation of this
adjacency matrix is expressed in Fig.5. After the two features of the closed-loop is specified, we
According to the Fig.5.and the definition of adjacency started at the begin-feature of the closed-loop to search for the
matrix, this adjacency matrix can be expressed as: adjacency features of it along the direction of the closed-loop
in adjacency matrix, we must note that there may exist more
than one adjacency feature, which indicated two or more
dimension chain may exist, so we need to record all the
possible dimension chain path. As long as we successfully
After the adjacency matrix was obtained, VGCN can be
generated by search for the mating parameters of features obtain the adjacency feature, we will managed it in the same
along a certain direction. As is discussed above, VGC can be way we have done for the begin-loop, and this process will be
classified into three types: SVGC, MVGC and CVGC. SVGC executed again and again until the adjacency feature comes to
is constrains that the ADF exerted on the actual feature and be the end-feature, then we obtained the assembly dimension
only include the dimension information of the feature itself, chain successfully. Notice as I said previously, only when we
while MVGC is constrains between two ADFs that came from successfully obtain the adjacency feature we will carry
the same one part and reflect the dimension information and forward this process, so if we failed to obtained the adjacency
shape-position information between features of a same one feature we have to abandon the dimension chain-path we take
part. Those two kinds of information are all included in the care at that time and switch to the other possible path which
data definition that based on feature and the generation of we mentioned above. Unluckily, if all the paths are unworked
VGCN is mostly relayed on assembly-VGC. we cannot help but come to the conclusion that the dimension
chain is not exists. The way how to search for the dimension
3DUW 3DUW 3DUW 3DUW chain is detailed expressed in Fig.7.
Combined with the paths we obtained above and the
dimension information (exist in the VGCN) and the direction
3DUW PDWH PDWH information (can be acquired from the feature information) we
can finally come to the dimension linked list.
3DUW PDWH PDWH PDWH
Start
3DUW PDWH PDWH
Specify the begin
3DUW PDWH PDWH PDWH and end features
of closed-loop

Fig. 6.The schematic diagram of the formation of adjacency matrix

Search for the adjacency
4.3. The generation of the constrain network features of the begin-
feature along the
For the generation of dimension chain, the generating of direction of the closed-
VGCN that based on dimension chain mainly include two loop in adjacency matrix
steps: the formation of MT and LC, and the basis of it is to
obtain constrain information firstly. Through classify those No Error ! End
constrains obtained above and then pick up the needed mating the
Success ?
constrains from SolidWorks system, the MT can be generated searching of
afterward. According to what is said in chapter 3, one Search for the Yes this path
assembly constrain is corresponding to one MT, the system adjacency
will list all the MTs based on the obtained assembly features of this No
information to prepared for the formation of LC. The feature along Is it the end-
the direction feature of the
Yes
formation of LC needs the DMT to be first specified, in this
system the specification of the DMT is achieved by determine
of the closed- closed-loop?
loop in
the closed-loop by the user, then with the help of the adjacency Yes
generating principle one or more shortest LC can be obtained. matrix
By now the structure of the VGCN is obtained, then by Assembly dimension
searching for the shortest path and create the linked list to lay chain obtained
the foundation for the formation of assembly database. successfully

End

Fig. 7.The way to generate the assembly dimension chain

168 Zhenbo Gao et al. / Procedia CIRP 27 (2015) 163 168

4.5. The setup of assembly database and the automatic
generation of dimension chain
After the dimension linked list is obtained, which contains
the entity feature information of the work-piece and
dimension information, we can write it into the assembly
dimension chain database documents. One linked list in the
document is corresponding to one assembly dimension chain
and with it the information about closed-loop and composing-
loop can be obtained easily. In the end, the assembly
dimension chain can be automatically generated by searching
the database.
[8] Hu J, Wu ZT, Yang JX. Variational geometric constraints network for
computer aided tolerancing. Proceedings of 7rd CIRP Seminars on
Computer Aided Tolerancing. 2001: 213-223.
[9] Xue J, Ji P. Identifying tolerance chains with a surface-chain model in
tolerance charting [J]. Journal of materials processing technology, 2002,
123(1): 93-99.
[10] Weill R, Clement A, Hocken R Farmer LE, Gladman C A, Wirtz A,
Bourdet P, Freckleton JE, Kunzmann H, Ham I, Trumpold H, Matthias
E. Tolerancing for function. Annals of the CIRP. 1988, 37(2):603-610

5. Conclusion

This paper studied the automatic generation of 3D

assembly dimension chain based on the existing research,
proposed the generating principle for the generation of VGCN
and constrain LC, put forward the generating strategy of
automatically generate the assembly dimension chain based
on 3D assembly drawing. A prototype system that is
integrated in SolidWorks is developed based on this method,
after the closed-loop is specified by the user the system can
accurately and automatically generate simple transitional 3D
dimension chain without too much human-computer
interaction.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Nature

Science Foundation of China (No. 51275464), the National
Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No.
2011CB706505), and the Fundamental Research Funds for
the Central Universities of China.

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